Thread isolating device



M r 9,19 sis. Q LEISCHER-ETAL 3 3,195

'THR'EAD- ISOLATING DEVICE Filed April :5, 1941 Y 2 Sheets -She et 2 Patented Mar. 9, 1943 more THREAD IS OLATWG DEVICE Application April 3, 1941, Serial No.'386,708 in Denmark May 23, 1940 16 ()lairns.

The present invention relates to a thread isolating device for isolating a single thread from a sheet of threads in a loom. Such an isolation of threads takes place when for instance a warp is to be carried through the healds or implements of a loom upon the application of the cross threads in the warp, or when the warp is used, and the thread ends are to be tied to the threads of a new warp. In the latter instance the threads of the old warp and of the new warp are to be isolated individually and conveyed to the tying members of a warp tying machine, where they are tied to ether.

For isolating single threads from a sheet of warp threads various isolating devices are already known. Thus for instance British Patent No. 15,964/1910 relates to a thread isolating device that is provided with a selector that has a hook on the one side, which hook, when the selector is moved to the edge thread of the sheet of threads and crosses the sheet of thread, engages the edge thread and moves it towards other selector members by which it is engaged and conveyed to the tying members of the warp tying machine. The selector member abuts the edge thread with a slight yielding pressure. The device is furthermore provided with an edge feeler that presses slightly against the edge thread, and which is connected to the driving mechanism of the machinein such a manner that it serves to regulate the speed of the machine. The pressure of each of the said two members against the edge thread must be at least so great that they are able to overcome their own friction as Well as the friction occurring in the parts with which these members. are connected. It has been found that the pressures of the said members against the edge thread are liable to press the edge thread over or under the next thread in the sheet of threads.

In such instances an isolating member provided with a hook on the one side will engage two threads simultaneously owing to the fact that the threads in question will be supported by the part of the isolating member that extends beyond the hook. For this reason the lower thread will be liable to remain in this position as there are only few possibilities of it slipping 01f the isolating member. This difficulty is most prevalent when two threads are more or less twisted together, or they are interconnected in any other manner. Such interconnected threads are dificult to separate from each other when they lie between two abutments disposed comparativel far from each other. There will accordingly often occur faults in the proper order of the threads when the said two members are employed.

Another isolating device is known from German Patent No. 592,050, according to which there is employed a selector member having a notch in its point and cooperating with an abutment for the thread. The abutment is carried towards the edge thread, and while the selector member is moved across the sheet of threads, the edge thread is engaged by the notch in the point of the selector member. After the thread is thus engaged, the abutment is moved away from the thread, which is carried to other selector members that engage it and convey it to the tying members of the warp tying machine.

In this device there is employed an edge feeler that abuts the edge thread of the sheet of threads with a slight pressure, and is connectedto the driving mechanism of the machine in such a manner that it regulates thespeed of the machine. In this instance too there will be such a pressure on the edge thread that it is pressed over or under the next thread in the sheet of threads. However, the thickness of the selector member is such that there is only room for a single thread in the notch, and even if the edge thread is pressed over or under the next thread in the sheet of threads, the lower thread will in most instances slide off the selector member as soon as the abutment is moved away from the edge thread. The pressure exercised by the two members on the edge thread will nearly always vary somewhat, because it is very difficult to adjust them so exactly that the gathering of several threads by the selector can be avoided. On account of this the selector member will not always engage the proper thread, and according- 1 faults in the proper order will occur. When the device is employed in connection with thin threads, the selector member employed will be so thin that it is exceedingly difiicult to adjust the abutment to the exact degree required. The selector member will therefore often fail to engage the edge thread, and this results in delays and a reduced production.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for eliminating the inconveniences described above, and according to the invention this is obtained by endeavoring to reduce the pressure against the edge thread so much that this thread is not pressed over or under the next thread in the sheet of threads.

This result is obtained to an essential degree by arranging the isolating member of the isolating device in such a manner that it is guided by an edge feeler that abuts yieldingly the edge thread of the sheet of threads. The effect obtained by this arrangement is that instead of the two members pressing on the edge thread as described in the foregoing, only a single member presses on this thread, thereby reducing the total effect to an essential degree. Furthermore the device according to the invention is so constructed that the adjustment of its members may be carried out during the operation thereof. When constructed in such a manner that it cooperates in known manner with the driving mechanism of the machine for regulating the speed of this machine, there is obtained an easy and sure adjustment for providing so slight a pressure on the edge thread that there are not gathered several threads in front of the selector member. Another feature of the invention is that it is possible to arrange the edge feeler in such a manner that when the thread engaged by the isolating member is moved out of the plane of the sheet of threads, it is at the same time moved away from the edge feeler. By such an arrangement it is possible to employ an isolating member with a laterally projecting hook, or an isolating member with a notch in its point, because in the latter instance the edge feeler will serve as an abutment that fixes the position of the thread. According to the invention the isolating member may be constructed in such a manner that it can be adjusted to various thicknesses of thread, and this adjustment may be carried out during the operation of the machine.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate one manner of construction of a thread isolating device according to the invention, seen in side, front and top elevation respectively,

Fig. 4 is a detail on an enlarged scale,

Figs. 5 and 6 are other details of the device,

Figs. '7, 8 and 9 illustrate a modified manner of construction of the device according to the invention, seen in side, front and top elevation respectively, and

Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 are details of the device shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the manner of construction illustrated in Figs. 1-6, and which device is assumed to be employed in connection with a warp tying machine of conventional type, there is provided an edge feeler I that is oscillatably attached to the machine frame 3 by means of a pivot pin 2. Furthermore there is provided a selector that comprises partly a slide 4 that is displaceably mounted on and guided by the edge feeler l, and has a downwardly extending finger 5 which at its extreme end is bevelled to a point 6, disposed in alignment with the front edge of the edge feeler I, and partly a tongue I disposed between the edge feeler I and the slide 4, being attached bymeans of a pivot pin 8 to the slide 4, to the effect that the finger 5 on the slide 4 and the tongue I may be relatively moved like the blades of a pair of scissors. The downwardly extending end of the tongue 1 is bevelled to a point 9, the bevelled edge being inclined to the same side as the bevelled edge of the finger 5. The tongue I is pivotally attached by its upper end to a pin in a rocker arm II that is actuated by means of the driving mechanism of the warp tying machine to move the selector members 4 and l vertically across the sheet of threads l2. During this actuation the pin [0 slides in a slot l3 formed in a guide member l4 that is displaceably disposed on an arm l5 that is attached to the edge feeler I, see Figs. 1 and 5. By means of a spring I6 interposed between the guide member l4 and a pin in the end of the arm 15, the said guide member is held to abutment with an adjustable arm I! carried on the machine frame 3. This arm I! is provided with a threaded end Ila for a nut l'lb interposed between two lugs lie on the machine frame, and by means of the nut the position of the arm in relation to the lugs may be adjusted, and this adjustment may be carried out during the operation of the machine. When this abutment arm I! is displaced to the right in Fig. 1, the spring l6 will displace the guide memher [3, M to the right to the effect that the point 9 of the tongue 1 will be moved somewhat in front of the point 6 of the finger 5, thereby forming a notch between the said two points, see Fig. 4, and this notch serves to engage the edge thread 60 of the sheet of threads l2 upon the vertical displacement of the selector members. When the isolating device is moved towards the edge thread, and the selector members are moved across the sheet of threads, the edge thread is engaged by the notch and moved out of the plane of the sheet of threads to the position indicated in Fig. 4 by dot-and-dash lines, where it is engaged by other selector members not shown, and conveyed to the tying mechanism of the warp tying machine in conventional manner.

The edge feeler I is at its lower part provided with a bevelled portion l8 and in continuation hereof a depending finger l9. When in their lowermost position the points 6 and 9 are disposed below the said bevelled portion l8, and in this manner the thread engaged by the notch will be moved away from the edge feeler l. The selector members are so adjusted relatively that the notch formed between the points 6 and 9 has a width slightly less than the thickness of the thread to be handled. Thus only a single thread can lie in the notch.

If for any reason whatever the edge thread 60 should lie over or under the next thread in the sheet of threads, the possibility is present of the selector members engaging two threads at a time, the only lying over the other, and the lowermost being supported by the edge feeler. As soon as the edge thread is moved below the bevelled edge I 8 of the edge feeler, the lower thread supported by the edge feeler, which thread in Fig. 4 is indicated by 60b, will slide off the selector members along the bevelled edge l8, where it is stopped by the finger l9. In this manner only the thread engaged by the notch will be carried down to the selector members that convey it to the warp tying machine. Upon the return of the selector members 4 and l to the uppermost position, the thread 60a will slide back to the sheet of threads. To ensure this there may be arranged a thin spring 25 in the support 23 for the sheet of threads. This spring is shown in its depressed position by dot-and-dash lines from which it assists in returning the thread 60b to the sheet of threads.

The edge feeler l is held against the edge thread 60 with so slight a pressure, for instance by means of a spring 25, that there is no possibility of it pressing this thread over or under the next thread in the sheet of threads, even if the warp tying machine and with it the suspension point of the edge feeler is moved so far forwards towards the sheet of threads that the edge feeler is inclined rearwardly. It; is thereforeonly in such instances when the edge thread by any other reason is pressed over or under the next thread in the sheet of threads that the selector members will engage more than one thread.

The edge feeler I has at its upper end a rearwardly extending arm 20 that cooperates with a coupling member 21. By means of a pin 2 la. engaging a slot in the. coupling member this member 2| is connected to, the driving mechanism of the Warp tying machine, which mechanism may comprise a pawl mechanism. The member 2| has a number of detents 22 and is moved forwards and backwards in time with the operation of the pawl in the driving mechanism of the warp tying machine. The arm 28 is so disposed that it engages with its end' one of the detents 22 in accordance with the inclination of the edge feeler l, which position is determined by the relative position of the warp tying machine and the sheet of threads, and in this manner the motion of the arm will cause the driving mechanism to be coupled in and out, or the speed of driving of the warp tying machine is graduated automatically.

The support 23- for the sheet of threads is at its. end facing the selector members somewhat rounded. A roller 24 is mounted on the machine frame and disposed at the upper side of the sheet of threads in such a manner that the threads lying nearest the edge thread 60 are pressed slightly out of the plane of the sheet of threads, see 1. The threads are thus held in a position from which they are easily engaged, and it will be easy to ensure the proper engagement of the threads between the two clamping members that are spaced somewhat from each other. The edge of the roller may be milled to increase the grip on the threads The rounded point of the support 23 projects slightly beyond the edge thread, so that this thread when engaged by the selector members is moved slightly aside from the other threads in the sheet of threads and is thus immediately isolated.

In the manner of construction illustrated in Figs. 7 to 13', the thread isolating device that is assumed employed in connection with a warp tying machine is provided with an edge feeler with a tongue 21. This tongue is pivotally attached to the machine frame 29 by means of a pin 28 and is provided with a rearwardly extending arm 39'. A screw 31 is carried through a hole in the arm 35, and with its lower end is connected to a spring 33, the free end of which is attached to a pin 34' in the machine frame 29.

bove the arm 3! the screw 35 carries a nut 32. By means of this spring 33' the position of the tongue 27 is determined. The edge feeler comprises a forked member, the fork branches of which are indicated by 35' and 3-5,. These branches are disposed at either side of the tongue 2'1 and are pivotally connected to this tongue by means of a stud 31, so that the tongue and the edge feeler may be moved relatively like the lades of a pair of scissors.

Through the top 38 of the fork above the arm 3!] there is carried a screw 39, the lower end of which is carried through a hole in the arm 30.

there is formed a recess between the fork branches and a double abutment for the edge thread 60. The adjustment of the fork 35, 35 and of the tongue 27 may be performed during the operation of the machine.

The device comprises furthermore a selector comprising an isolating pin 43, which by means of a screw 44 is fastened in a holder 55 that is pivotally attached to a rocker arm 38 by means of a pin 46. The rocker arm is connected to a shaft '31 by means of which the selector device is connected to the driving mechanism of the machine. By means of the rocker arm 43 the selector or isolating pin 43 is moved across the sheet of threads l2. The isolating pin 43 abuts the tongue 2? with a suitable pressure. and the tension of this pressure may be varied by adjustment means comprising for instance a pressure spring 49 disposed within a boring in the rocker arm 43. By means of a screw 50 and intermediate pressure pieces 5! and 52 the pressure of the spring on the isolating pin may be regulated. The resultant pressure of the two springs 33 and 49 may be adjusted in such a manner that the pressure of the edge feeler on the edge thread is. very slight.

The isolating pin 13 has a notch 53 in the end of its point, or it may be formed with two projecting points 54 and 55, see Figs. 10 and 12. When the isolating device is moved towards the edge thread 60 of the sheet of threads, and the selector is moved across the sheet of threads, the edge thread is moved out of the plane of the sheet of threads as indicated by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 8, and from this position it is engaged by other selector members, not shown, to be conveyed to the tying mechanism of the warp tying machine.

Instead of the notch described, the isolating pin 43 may be provided with a laterally extending hook.

The tongue 27 has at its lower end an inclined edge 56 that continues in a downwardly extending finger 5?. When the selector or isolating pin is in its lowermost position, its notch or points will be disposed below the inclined edge 56 so that the edge thread SE) will be moved away from the edge feeler. The isolating pin is only so thick that no more than a single thread can lie within its notch or between its points. If for any reason whatever the edge thread is pressed under or over the next thread the sheet of threads, the selector device will. engage two threads simultaneously the one lying over the other, and. the lowermost supported by the edge feeler. When the isolating pin 43 is moved down to its lowermost position, the lowermost of the two threads engaged by the isolating pin will slide oil the isolating pin on to the inclined edge 5'5. Contributing to this is the fact that the rocking motion of the shaft 4'! causes the isolating pin to move a little along the thread, which position is illustrated in Fig. 8 by means of dotand-dash lines. As soon as the isolating pin returns to its uppermost position, the thread lying against the inclined edge 56 will slide back to the sheet of threads.

For taking up wear, the isolating pin 43 may be provided with a projection 58 that abuts the tongue 21. There is thus provided means for preventing a distortion of the notch 53.

For each different thickness of thread there is used a suitable thickness for the isolating pin. It is, however, possible according to the invention to employ the same isolating pin for various thicknesses of threads, because the distance from the front edge of the tongue 21 to the front edges of the abutments M and 42 may be so adjusted that the isolating pin only projects so far outside the said abutments as corresponds to the thickness of the thread employed, see Figs. 10 and 11. If the isolating pin has a cross section similar to that shown in Figs. 11 and 13, it is possibly by revolving the pin in various angles in relation to the thread, to make it fit any thickness in thread, which will be evident from Figs. 10-13.

For regulating the speed of the isolating de--' vice, the arm 30 of the tongue 21 cooperates with a member 59 that is connected to the drivin mechanism of the warp tying machine, which mechanism may comprise a pawl mechanism. In case the isolating device is moved too fast, the edge feeler will swing rearwardly, and the arm 30 is elevated and accordingly elevates the member 59, by which the pawl of the pawl mech anism is put out of action.

The above described thread isolating devices for isolating a single thread from a sheet of threads may be employed in connection with conventional machines for handling the warp threads in a loom, such as for instance drawer-in machines or warp tying machines. In connection with the typing of warp threads, the isolation of single threads from the old warp and from a new warp, and which threads are to be tied together, must take place simultaneously, in which instance the warp tying machine is provided with two thread isolating devices of the kinds described, the one operating from above downwardly, the other operating from below upwardly.

We do hereby declare that what we claim is:

1. In a thread isolating device for isolating single threads from a sheet of threads, the combination of an edge feeler, means for pivotally connecting the edge feeler to the frame of a conventional machine for handling the warp threads in a loom, spring means for holding the edge feeler to yielding abutment on the edge thread of the sheet of threads, selector members, means connected to the driving mechanism of the said machine for operating the selector members to movement for isolating the said edge thread, and means attached to the edge feeler for guiding the movement of the said selector members while isolating the edge thread.

2. In a thread isolating device for isolating single threads from a sheet of threads, the combination of an edge feeler, means for pivotally connecting the edge feeler to the frame of a conventional machine for handling warp threads in a loom, a laterally extending arm attached to the said edge feeler, a spring actuated guide member slidable on said arm and provided with a vertical slot, selector members, a pin connecting the selector members pivotally to the driving mechanism of the said machine and carried through the said slot in the guide member for guiding the movement of the selector members during the isolation of the edge thread of the sheet of threads.

3. In a thread isolating device for isolating single threads from a sheet of threads, the combination of a tongue, means for pivotally attaching the tongue to the frame of a conventional machine for handling the warp threads in a loom, an edge feeler, means for pivotally connecting the edge feeler to the said tongue, means for adjusting the front lower edge of the edge feeler slightly in front ofthe front edge of the said tongue, means for holding the edge feeler to yielding abutment against the edge thread of the sheet of threads, a selector member abutting the front edge of the tongue, means connecting the said selector member to the driving mechanism of the said machine.

4. In a thread isolating device for isolating single threads from a sheet of threads, the combination of a bell crank lever, means for pivotally attaching the bell crank lever to the frame of a conventional machine for handling warp threads in a loom, an edge feeler, a pivot pin connecting the edge feeler to the depending arm of the said bell crank lever, spring means for holding the edge feeler in a position in which its front edge projects slightly in front of the front edge of the depending arm of the bell crank lever and abuts the edge thread of the sheet of threads, spring means for holding the bell crank lever in position in relation to the edge feeler, a selector member abutting the front edge of the tongue, means connecting the said selector member to the driving mechanism of the said machine.

5. In a thread isolating device for isolating single threads from a sheet of warp threads, the combination of a bell crank lever, means for pivotally connecting the bell crank lever to the frame of a conventional machine for handling warp threads in a loom, an edge feeler, a

pivot stud connecting the edge feeler to the,

depending arm of the bell crank lever, spring means connecting the horizontal bell crank lever arm yieldingly to the machine frame, means for adjusting the tension of t e said spring means, a spring interposed between the said horizontal bell crank lever arm and the edge feeler, means for adjusting the tension of the latter spring, a selector member abutting the front edge of the tongue, and means connecting the said selector member to the driving mechanism of the said machine.

6. In a thread isolating device for isolating single threads from a sheet of warp threads,

the combination of an edge feeler, means for pivotally connecting the edge feeler to the frame of a conventional machine for handling warp threads in a loom, spring means for holding the edge feeler to yielding abutment on the edge thread of the sheet of threads, selector members, means for engaging the edge thread formed on the said selector members, adjustment members connected to the selector members for altering the thread engagement means to suit the thickness of the thread in use, means connected to the driving mechanism of the said machine for operating the selector members to movement for isolating the said edge thread, and

. means attached to the edge feeler for guiding the movement of the said selector members while isolating the edge thread.

'7. In a thread isolating device for isolating single threads from a sheet of threads, the combination of a tongue, means for pivotally attach- Wardly in relation to the pointed finger of the slide to form a notch between their pointed ends, and means connecting the edge feeler to the driving mechanism of the said machine.

8. In a thread isolating device for isolating single threads from a sheet of threads, the combination of a tongue, means for pivotally attaching the tongue to the frame of a conventional machine for handling warp threads in a loom, an edge feeler, means for pivotally connecting the edge feeler to the said tongue, means for adjusting the front lower edge of the edge feeler slightly in front of the front edge of the tongue, means for holding the edge feeler to yielding abutment against the edge thread of the sheet of threads, a thread isolating pin abutting the front edge of the tongue, spring means for adjusting the pressure of the isolating pin on the tongue, means connecting the isolating pin to the driving mechanism of the said machine.

9. A thread isolating device as claimed in claim 8, in which the isolating pin is rotatably attached to its holder to allow its rotation for adjustment to various thicknesses of threads.

a loom, spring means for holding the edge feeler to yielding abutment against the edge thread of the sheet of threads, selector members, means for connecting the selector members to the driving mechanism of the said machine, coupling members interposed between the selector members and the driving mechanism for controlling 10. In a thread isolating device for isolating single threads from a sheet of threads, the combination of an edge feeler, means for pivotally attaching the edge feeler to the frame of a conventional machine for handling warp threads in a loom, a rearwardly inclined edge formed on the lower end of the edge feeler, a downwardly extending finger extending from the rear part of the inclined edge, spring means for holding the edge feeler to yielding abutment against the edge thread of the sheet of threads, selector mem bers, means connected to the driving mechanism of the said machine for operating the selector members to movement for isolating the edge thread of the sheet of threads, and means attached to the edge feeler for guiding the movement of the said selector members when isolating a thread.

11. In a thread isolating device for isolating single threads from a sheet of threads, the combination of an edge feeler, means for pivotally connecting the edge feeler tov the frame of a conventional machine for handling warp threads in a loom, spring means for holding the edge feeler to yielding abutment against the edge thread of the sheet of threads, selector members, and a rocker arm attached to the selector members for connection with the mechanism for driving the said machine.

12. In a thread isolating device for isolating single threads from a sheet of threads, the combination of an edge feeler, means for pivotally connecting the edge feeler to the frame of a conventional machine for handling warp threads in their cooperation.

13. In a thread isolating device forisolating a single thread from a sheet of threads; threadcontacting means at an edge of said sheet, said thread-contacting means including a vertical edge normally abutting an edge thread of the sheet, and a second edge extending downwardly from the lower end of said vertical edge and inclined outwardly with respect to said edge thread; and thread-depressing means over'said edge thread to depress said edge thread from said vertical edge, said inclined edge being operative to guide one thread forced away from the other if said thread-depressing means should simultaneously depress said edge thread and the adjacent thread.

14. In a thread isolating device for isolating a single thread from a sheet of threads; a thread-depressing device comprising two connected members having lower end portions cooperable in jointly forming a thread receiving notch, and means for relatively adjusting said members to adjust the size of said notch according to the size of the thread.

15. In a thread isolating device for isolating a single thread from a sheet of threads; a thread-depressing device comprising a vertically movable member having a downwardly projecting finger, said finger having a vertical edge to contact at its lower end with an edge thread of said sheet, a vertical tongue movably mounted on said vertically movable member and contacting with one side of said finger, said tongue having a lower edge inclined with respect to said vertical edge of said finger and cooperable with said vertical edge in forming an angular notch to receive said edge thread, and means for relatively adjusting said tongue and finger to adjust the size of said notch according to the size of aid edge thread.

16. A structure as specified in claim 15; said finger having a lower inclined edgesubstantially parallel with said inclined lower edge of said tongue and extending entirely to said vertical edge of said finger to laterally deflect a second thread if such a thread be depressed by said edge thread. upon depression of said threaddepressing device.

SVEND SIGURD CHRISTIE FLEISCHER.

JORGEN JENSEN HANSEN. 

